White County Schools Superintendent Paul Shaw expects to have a new head football coach in place at the high school by April, but he already knows it will not be Tommy Flowers, who served in the head coaching position for the majority of the 2010 season and led the Warriors to the second round of the Class AAA state playoffs.

Shaw confirmed Flowers was offered the job on a permanent basis prior to Christmas, but declined to take on the head coaching job for reasons he did not specify.

Flowers, a former defensive coordinator at White County, was put into the head coach role when former coach Greg Segraves was placed on indefinite leave Sept. 22 and ultimately resigned the position amidst allegations of domestic violence from his wife.

As head coach, Flowers led the Warriors to the Region 8-AAA championship game and their first home playoff victory in school history.

“We offered the head coaching position to coach Flowers, but he told us he wasn’t interested,” Shaw said. “We thought he worked extremely hard.”

Flowers says he will stay on the coaching staff at White County. His role with the team will ultimately be the decision of the new head coach.

“I didn’t feel like I was led to be the head coach, simple as that,” Flowers said.

White County High principal John Osborne said the school system is still in the process of accepting applications and hopes to begin the interviewing process in two weeks. White County schools director of personnel Laurie Burkett said six applications are currently on file for the position.

“I was hoping to have someone in place at the end of the month, but we were late getting the job posted and March is more realistic,” Osborne said. “We have had a lot of interest, and are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead for White County football.”